The Greater Good
by gallowsCallibrator
Summary: A drabble collection about Albus Dumbledore and Gellert Grindlewald's relationship, from when they met to the Final Battle
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.**

Albus Dumbledore POV:

You were always such a weird and wonderful person.

A strange man with strange ideas.

You and I, we spoke a lot, didn't we?

Up in your room, just talking.

The ever-fading light distorted against walls and bookshelves,

When I initially met you, I had no idea who you were.

Where you came from.

But then you introduced me to you ideas.

I was cautious at first.

Then you explained it all to me.

"It's all for the Greater Good," you said.

And I believed you.

God, I believed every word that spilled out of your mouth.

Countless nights we spent up talking.

Talking about your plans, ideas, future.

And I got to know you, or at least what I thought was you.

When I was in your presence, it was a sanctum.

Someplace where I could express myself and not be judged.

You had such charisma, truth ringing in every word.

And you told me about what you wanted to do with yourself.

Your plans for this world.

Wizards would rise above all else.

Muggles would be put in their place: the very bottom.

You were so spirited, so aglow with this idea.

And it made me so happy.

So happy to see you filled with this exuberant light.

It was as if you had chosen me not to hate.

Me to put up with, share your ideas with.

And I loved it so much.

I loved spending time with you.

Just listening to the sound of your silky-smooth voice float across the room into my ear.

God, I loved you so much.


	2. Chapter 2

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.**

Albus Dumbledore POV:

I remember one day.

One day that I'll never forget.

The rain was beating against the windows.

A thick fog had settled over the town of Godric's Hollow.

A small flame was kindling in the fireplace.

You and I were sprawled out on the floor in front of the fire.

Once again, you were recounting your plan to find the Deathly Hallows.

How you would depart this town and go off on a quest.

How you would never come back, leaving behind everything and everyone.

It made me anxious, the thought of you leaving.

And you could tell, I think.

I was next to you, letting your voice wash over me like a tidal wave.

Not sure what you were talking about.

I was just enjoying your company.

Then, my imagination sparked.

A small flicker, like a candle.

My eyes fell off into the hazy distance.

I loved everything about you.

The way your golden hair cascaded over your face, stopping above your shoulders.

The intelligent gleam in your blue eyes, begging for adventure.

Your rosebud lips, pressed into a firm line.

I wanted so badly to reach over, to touch you.

You were staring at me intently.

I took a deep breath, then leaned forward and kissed you.

Your lips were surprisingly warm, I was melting inside.

As quickly as I had leaned forward, I pulled back.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled quickly, casting my eyes down.

For a split second I looked at you again.

There was a thoughtful expression on your face.

A million thoughts passing through your mind at once.

After what seemed like an eternity, you leaned forward and kissed me back.

I inhaled sharply.

I thought that you'd be furious.

Well I suppose not, now.


	3. Chapter 3

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.**

Albus Dumbledore POV:

After you had kissed me, you smiled a bit.

"Brilliant," you muttered, more to yourself than me.

I looked at you curiously.

You realized I had heard.

Then went back to explaining the drawbacks of using inferi.

That night, I smiled and dreamed of you.

Of us, in a place far from here.

The next day, I went back to you.

You talked a bit; we kissed some.

It went like that for weeks.

We carried on meeting, staying up late making plans.

I had begun to believe what you said, wholeheartedly.

The idea of wizards dominating above all else.

Becoming so much more than we are.

Returning to our rightful place.

Soon, we got a fully established plan.

We decided what would happen when I graduated Hogwarts.

How we would travel the world together, searching for the Deathly Hallows.

Then, when we gained possession of all three, what would happen.

We'd unite them once more, becoming the most powerful beings of all time.

It was exhilarating, discussing our tactics together.

Every day, we'd meet up and go over the same thing, over and over again.

"Repetition is key," you told me.

Honestly, I was just happy to be in you company.

I thought it cute, the way you dreamed so big.

You could never satisfy your hunger for power.

The twinkle in your eye when we discussed our plan of putting Muggles in their place.

I knew the plot was completely unrealistic.

I just went along with it to make you happy.

That's what I lived for that summer, you know.

Giving you what you wanted, which was power.

I did it all for you.


	4. Chapter 4

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.**

Albus Dumbledore POV:

That was before that one day.

The day that changed everything.

It was an average cloudy English day.

We were dueling outside, with the new spells you had just learned.

I told Aberforth and Arianna to stay inside, away from us.

I couldn't risk them getting hurt because of me.

You muttered a hex under your breath.

A purple light shot out of your wand straight at me.

"Protego." I said firmly, and the light bounced away into the trees.

You smiled and praised me for being quick enough.

For not being hit with the unidentified curse.

Then, Aberforth came out onto the deck.

"You can't duel out here!" he yelled at us.

"And why in God's name not?" you yelled back, apparently frustrated.

"You could get hurt! I don't want to explain anything to Muggle doctors."

You began bickering with him loudly.

I was scared.

Scared that Abe would get mad at me.

Scared that you would get mad at me.

I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to see you again.

Though Aberforth was younger, he was so persistent and forceful at times.

I really didn't want to make either of you upset.

So I just stood in the background waiting for your quarrel to cease.

Then, Aberforth took out his wand.

You raised yours, pointing it at his chest.

"Abe, no!" cried Arianna.

She hated violence of any kind.

I could see the pain in her eyes when you two started to duel.

When the two of us dueled, you waved your wand easily.

You didn't try to hurt me.

But now, you had this intensity in your eyes that was completely foreign.

You shot spells from your wand, not caring whether they hit or not.

Abe threw some at you as well, but you blocked each and every one effortlessly.

The spells coming from your wand were horrible.

I recognized ones that caused blood.

Others pain, hunger, and insanity.

Ones that I'd never be able to survive.

Your battle was at its peak now.

There were spells flying all directions, and I was unable to tell who they came from.

That's when it happened.

I heard a shriek, followed by a small whimper.

The flying spells immediately stopped.

I rushed over to where a small form was huddled on the ground.

My sister was lying there, tears spilling from her eyes.

She took a deep, shuddering breath.

"It hurts, Albus. It hurt so much," she whispered.

I put her head in my lap, caressing her hair.

"It will be alright," I murmured, "I promise."

I kissed her forehead gently, feeling the warmth drain from it.

She smiled weakly, before drawing in a final, shaky breath.

That was the last breath she ever took.


	5. Chapter 5

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.**

Albus Dumbledore POV:

Before I knew it, I was gasping for breath.

Sobbing into my departed sister's tattered cloak.

Clinging to her limp and lifeless body.

I couldn't imagine ever letting go.

I could barely hear Aberforth's words of consolation.

Soon the warmth from her body faded, leaving a cold and motionless shell.

I slackened my grip on her, laying the body gently on the ground.

Tears had blurred my vision, and I wiped them away ignoring the stinging.

Aberforth was standing above me, his form casting a shadow over Arianna and I.

When I looked around you were nowhere to be seen.

You had fled from the scene of the crime.

The place where my dear sister had been murdered.

I had no idea who it was.

It could've been either of you, with the spells flying so precariously.

I'd never be able to forgive myself.

It was completely my fault.

I had been the one dueling with you.

I had the chance to stop you two, but I didn't.

Three days after her death, we had a funeral.

Whether you had showed up or not, I didn't notice.

But what I do remember is how Aberforth blamed it all on me.

In front of Arianna's coffin, we had a fistfight.

He broke my nose.

I didn't even mind it, much.

What I did mind was that Abe had disgraced my sister's memory.

I was suffocated in a cloud of regret, wishing tat I could change the past.

The following days, you and I became more distant.

You always said that you were "too busy" to talk to me.

What I wanted was to discuss what would happen now.

What would happen between us.

I wanted to talk, but you wouldn't listen.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.**

Albus Dumbledore POV:

It was a few weeks before I would need to return to Hogwarts.

You were out in your front yard, practicing hexes on a plastic dummy.

When I peered out at you, you regarded me with a strange expression.

You looked so pained, so conflicted.

I stepped over to you, mentally preparing what I wanted to say.

When I opened my mouth to speak, you interrupted me.

"I'm sorry, Albus." you told me.

"It's all my fault; I've been avoiding you.

But when I get near you, it feels so awkward and tense.

Could things go back to the way they used to be?"

You looked pleadingly up at me.

I was surprised, you never showed weakness.

It was always Gellert the Great, Gellert the Strong.

Never one who begged for mercy.

I thought for a moment.

I wanted so badly to return to before.

I longed to be held in your strong arms.

To stay up all night discussing plans that would never come true.

To be yours.

But my thoughts returned to my sister.

The way you fled after her murder.

How she sobbed at the pain before her death.

Would something like that ever be forgiven?

After moments of your anticipation, I made my decision.

I slowly shook my head, my eyes downtrodden.

It was for the best, I told myself.

"Okay. I get it." you sounded angry, like you thought I was going to take you back.

I looked up at you and quickly kissed your cheek.

"I'm sorry." I whispered before running back to my house.

That was the last time I saw you before The Final Day.


	7. Chapter 7

**A/N: I don't own Harry Potter.**

_47 YEARS LATER_

Albus Dumbledore POV:

The War had been going on for much too long.

You and your army had been terrorizing the country.

I had refrained from confronting you.

I thought that you knew who had really killed Arianna

But eventually, I couldn't put it off any longer.

When I finally found you, we were in a small town on the coast.

I had my wand; you had yours.

No one would interfere; it would be just you and I this time.

You stepped into the middle of the town square, and I was twenty feet away facing you.

I looked into your sky blue eyes.

Those were the eyes that had captivated me for months.

But you were different now.

Instead of the smug, easy-going look I had known, your eyes contained rage and hate.

You were so different from before.

You raised your wand and I did the same.

Then, the duel began.

Jets of light started streaming from your wand, and I blocked them all easily.

I had grown a much better wizard than I was when we were boys.

It felt like hours had gone by before you had grown tired.

You were panting, about to collapse from exhaustion.

Guards were nearby, about to advance but I held up a hand to stop them.

I carefully walked over to you, where your wand was on the ground.

I pushed it back with my foot.

You looked up at me, a pained expression on your face.

"You haven't changed a bit, Albus.

Always fighting for good.

But one day you'll meet someone you won't be able to beat.

You'll see that good doesn't always prevail.

On that day, though, my heart will be with you."

You smiled wearily up at me.

I grinned back, and it felt like we were seventeen again.

Just playing lightheartedly on my front lawn.

I raised my wand gently and muttered, "Stupefy."

You still held the same smile, frozen in place when you collapsed.

I leaned down to your unconscious body and kissed you lightly on the forehead.

"I still love you, and always will." I whispered.

Then I beckoned for the guards to come and take you to Azkaban.

Not every story has a happy ending, you know.


End file.
